FirstEnergy says it will retire six older coal-fired power plants in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland by Sept. 1 because of tighter federal rules on emissions.

were not ready to vote on approving the directive, which would assign fuel from Canada''s highly polluting oil sands a high default greenhouse gas value, reflecting the environmental damage it causes

A strong surge in exports in August shows that coal exports have recovered, after floods over the summer shut down many mines, economists say.

American activists have been tireless in efforts to block the development of the Keystone XL pipeline project. The $7 billion, 1,700-mile pipeline would help bring more than 700,000 bbl per day of crude oil from Canada’s giant oil sands projects south to U.S. refineries.

The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, which represents industries involved in coal-generated electricity, spent $820,000 in the second quarter to lobby the federal government on several issues, including legislation to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency